Literacy is thriving across our district! Elementary students master phonics while older learners analyze complex texts. #WHe are #RamProud of parent sessions where families learned to use NWEA data to support reading at home. Together, #WHeRiseTogether
🌟 West Hempstead Community Wellness Day!
📅 Sunday, Nov 16, 12-3 PM
📍 WH Secondary School
Sports training, boxing, Pilates, health screenings & more! All ages welcome.
#CommunityWellness #WHeRiseTogether #HealthyLiving
📅 Sunday, Nov 16, 12-3 PM
📍 WH Secondary School
Sports training, boxing, Pilates, health screenings & more! All ages welcome.
#CommunityWellness #WHeRiseTogether #HealthyLiving
Holiday Craft Fair benefiting the Senior Class of 2026!
📅 Nov 13, 5-9 PM
📍 West Hempstead Secondary School, 400 Nassau Blvd
Local artisan gifts, crafts, refreshments & raffles!
Questions? alison.heikkila@gmail.com
#WHeRiseTogether #ShopLocal #SeniorClass2026 @wh_secondary
📅 Nov 13, 5-9 PM
📍 West Hempstead Secondary School, 400 Nassau Blvd
Local artisan gifts, crafts, refreshments & raffles!
Questions? alison.heikkila@gmail.com
#WHeRiseTogether #ShopLocal #SeniorClass2026 @wh_secondary
From whiteboards in @CornwellAveES classrooms to laptops in @wh_secondary school, our students are mastering the art of making meaning. Watching literacy come alive across our district reminds us why we do what we do! 📖💙 #ProudEducator #WHeRiseAbove
From a Kansas shoe repairman's vision to a national tribute: Alvin King believed ALL veterans deserved honor, not just WWI heroes. His 1953 push transformed Armistice Day into Veterans Day—a time to thank every American who served. 🇺🇸 #VeteransDay
Literacy in action! Today, students showed us that reading happens everywhere—from phonics practice to analyzing data, reading sheet music to crafting arguments. Every classroom, every subject, builds confident learners. 📚✨ #WHeRiseAbove @CornwellAveES @wh_secondary
WHe are thrilled to share some WHonderful news from last Friday's Town of Hempstead Town Hall celebration! Our very own Gianna was honored by Ms. Dorothy Goosby for her outstanding achievement in completing the summer reading challenge program—and what an achievement it was! In her fourth consecutive year participating in this valuable program, Gianna reached an incredible milestone by reading 102 books over the summer break. This is her best performance yet, and we couldn't be prouder!
A special thank you to Ms. Milliner and Ms. Wagner for attending the celebration to support Gianna and represent our school community. Their presence reminds us that success is a team effort, built on the support of dedicated educators, engaged families, and motivated students.
The Dorothy Goosby Summer Reading Challenge is an annual program offered by the Town of Hempstead that encourages young readers to stay engaged with books throughout the summer months. By preventing the "summer slide" in reading skills, this initiative helps build literacy and cultivates a lifelong love of reading in our children. Participating students are celebrated at a special event featuring awards, cultural programming, and food—a fitting recognition for their hard work and dedication.
Gianna's achievement exemplifies the power of commitment, curiosity, and community support. Her passion for reading serves as an inspiration to students, families, and educators alike.
Congratulations, Gianna—you are a true reading champion!
📚 For Town of Hempstead residents interested in next summer's program, watch for details from the Town as the school year progresses.
A special thank you to Ms. Milliner and Ms. Wagner for attending the celebration to support Gianna and represent our school community. Their presence reminds us that success is a team effort, built on the support of dedicated educators, engaged families, and motivated students.
The Dorothy Goosby Summer Reading Challenge is an annual program offered by the Town of Hempstead that encourages young readers to stay engaged with books throughout the summer months. By preventing the "summer slide" in reading skills, this initiative helps build literacy and cultivates a lifelong love of reading in our children. Participating students are celebrated at a special event featuring awards, cultural programming, and food—a fitting recognition for their hard work and dedication.
Gianna's achievement exemplifies the power of commitment, curiosity, and community support. Her passion for reading serves as an inspiration to students, families, and educators alike.
Congratulations, Gianna—you are a true reading champion!
📚 For Town of Hempstead residents interested in next summer's program, watch for details from the Town as the school year progresses.
🎉 West Hempstead Varsity Cheer is hosting a Clothing Drive! Drop off gently used items on Nov 24th at 5:30PM at WH Secondary School Football Field. Support local athletes & help Go Green Clothing! Questions? whramscheer@gmail.com 👕♻️
ONE WEEK AWAY!
🌟 West Hempstead Community Wellness Day!
📅 Sunday, Nov 16, 12-3 PM
📍 WH Secondary School
Sports training, boxing, Pilates, health screenings & more! All ages welcome.
#CommunityWellness #WHeRiseTogether #HealthyLiving
🌟 West Hempstead Community Wellness Day!
📅 Sunday, Nov 16, 12-3 PM
📍 WH Secondary School
Sports training, boxing, Pilates, health screenings & more! All ages welcome.
#CommunityWellness #WHeRiseTogether #HealthyLiving
Holiday Craft Fair benefiting the Senior Class of 2026!
📅 Nov 13, 5-9 PM
📍 West Hempstead Secondary School, 400 Nassau Blvd
Local artisan gifts, crafts, refreshments & raffles!
Questions? alison.heikkila@gmail.com
#WHeRiseTogether #ShopLocal #SeniorClass2026 @wh_secondary
📅 Nov 13, 5-9 PM
📍 West Hempstead Secondary School, 400 Nassau Blvd
Local artisan gifts, crafts, refreshments & raffles!
Questions? alison.heikkila@gmail.com
#WHeRiseTogether #ShopLocal #SeniorClass2026 @wh_secondary
🌟 West Hempstead Community Wellness Day!
📅 Sunday, Nov 16, 12-3 PM
📍 WH Secondary School
Sports training, boxing, Pilates, health screenings & more! All ages welcome.
#CommunityWellness #WHeRiseTogether #HealthyLiving
📅 Sunday, Nov 16, 12-3 PM
📍 WH Secondary School
Sports training, boxing, Pilates, health screenings & more! All ages welcome.
#CommunityWellness #WHeRiseTogether #HealthyLiving
Holiday Craft Fair benefiting the Senior Class of 2026!
📅 Nov 13, 5-9 PM
📍 West Hempstead Secondary School, 400 Nassau Blvd
Local artisan gifts, crafts, refreshments & raffles!
Questions? alison.heikkila@gmail.com
#WHeRiseTogether #ShopLocal #SeniorClass2026 @wh_secondary
📅 Nov 13, 5-9 PM
📍 West Hempstead Secondary School, 400 Nassau Blvd
Local artisan gifts, crafts, refreshments & raffles!
Questions? alison.heikkila@gmail.com
#WHeRiseTogether #ShopLocal #SeniorClass2026 @wh_secondary
Mental Sweat Meets Pure Joy at Chestnut Street Elementary
This week at Chestnut Street Elementary, students are hard at work developing their numeracy skills through the engaging game "Compare" – and as evidenced by their joyful expressions, they're having an incredible time doing it!
The Power of Engaged Learning
These moments capture an important educational principle: mental sweat and the joy of learning do not need to be mutually exclusive. When students are deeply engaged in meaningful mathematical thinking, challenged to compare numbers and develop strategic reasoning, they experience both the satisfaction of rigorous learning and genuine delight in the process.
Creating Learning Environments That Inspire
This is the kind of learning environment we strive to create across all West Hempstead UFSD schools – where academic excellence and student engagement go hand in hand, where effort is celebrated, and where the work of learning feels like play.
Through carefully designed learning experiences like this one, our students develop:
Critical numeracy and mathematical reasoning skills
Strategic thinking and problem-solving abilities
A positive relationship with academic challenge
Confidence in their own learning capabilities
Celebrating Our Educators
Thank you to our incredible educators at Chestnut Street and throughout the district who design these powerful learning experiences every single day. Your dedication to creating engaging, rigorous, and joyful classrooms makes all the difference in our students' lives.
Keep up the amazing work, Chestnut Street!
#WHeRiseTogether
This week at Chestnut Street Elementary, students are hard at work developing their numeracy skills through the engaging game "Compare" – and as evidenced by their joyful expressions, they're having an incredible time doing it!
The Power of Engaged Learning
These moments capture an important educational principle: mental sweat and the joy of learning do not need to be mutually exclusive. When students are deeply engaged in meaningful mathematical thinking, challenged to compare numbers and develop strategic reasoning, they experience both the satisfaction of rigorous learning and genuine delight in the process.
Creating Learning Environments That Inspire
This is the kind of learning environment we strive to create across all West Hempstead UFSD schools – where academic excellence and student engagement go hand in hand, where effort is celebrated, and where the work of learning feels like play.
Through carefully designed learning experiences like this one, our students develop:
Critical numeracy and mathematical reasoning skills
Strategic thinking and problem-solving abilities
A positive relationship with academic challenge
Confidence in their own learning capabilities
Celebrating Our Educators
Thank you to our incredible educators at Chestnut Street and throughout the district who design these powerful learning experiences every single day. Your dedication to creating engaging, rigorous, and joyful classrooms makes all the difference in our students' lives.
Keep up the amazing work, Chestnut Street!
#WHeRiseTogether
The Lifelong Benefits of Reading Aloud
One of the most common misconceptions in education is that reading aloud becomes unnecessary once children can read independently. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Reading aloud is one of the most powerful tools we have for building literacy skills at every age. When we read to children—whether they're 5 or 15—we're doing far more than entertaining them.
We're expanding their vocabulary with words they wouldn't encounter in conversation. We're exposing them to complex sentence structures and diverse writing styles. We're building their comprehension skills by helping them follow intricate plots and multiple character perspectives. We're teaching them that reading is valuable, enjoyable, and worth prioritizing.
The research is compelling. Studies show that children who are read to regularly have significantly larger vocabularies, stronger comprehension skills, and better academic outcomes across all subjects. They're also more likely to become lifelong readers themselves.
But here's what moves me most as an educator: reading aloud creates connection. In our busy, distracted world, those 15 minutes of shared story time say to your child, "You matter. This matters. We matter."
This week, I encourage you to start or restart a read-aloud routine:
• Let your child choose the book (engagement matters more than literary merit)
• Read with expression and emotion—make it theatrical!
• Pause to discuss, predict, and connect to your child's life
• Make it consistent, even if brief
If you have teens who resist, try audiobooks together during car rides or family dinners. The medium matters less than the shared experience.
"Reading aloud with children is known to be the single most important activity for building the knowledge and skills they will eventually require for learning to read." - Marilyn Jager Adams
Let's make reading aloud a non-negotiable part of family life.
#WHeRiseAbove #ReadAloud #LiteracyDevelopment #FamilyTime #EducationLeadership
One of the most common misconceptions in education is that reading aloud becomes unnecessary once children can read independently. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Reading aloud is one of the most powerful tools we have for building literacy skills at every age. When we read to children—whether they're 5 or 15—we're doing far more than entertaining them.
We're expanding their vocabulary with words they wouldn't encounter in conversation. We're exposing them to complex sentence structures and diverse writing styles. We're building their comprehension skills by helping them follow intricate plots and multiple character perspectives. We're teaching them that reading is valuable, enjoyable, and worth prioritizing.
The research is compelling. Studies show that children who are read to regularly have significantly larger vocabularies, stronger comprehension skills, and better academic outcomes across all subjects. They're also more likely to become lifelong readers themselves.
But here's what moves me most as an educator: reading aloud creates connection. In our busy, distracted world, those 15 minutes of shared story time say to your child, "You matter. This matters. We matter."
This week, I encourage you to start or restart a read-aloud routine:
• Let your child choose the book (engagement matters more than literary merit)
• Read with expression and emotion—make it theatrical!
• Pause to discuss, predict, and connect to your child's life
• Make it consistent, even if brief
If you have teens who resist, try audiobooks together during car rides or family dinners. The medium matters less than the shared experience.
"Reading aloud with children is known to be the single most important activity for building the knowledge and skills they will eventually require for learning to read." - Marilyn Jager Adams
Let's make reading aloud a non-negotiable part of family life.
#WHeRiseAbove #ReadAloud #LiteracyDevelopment #FamilyTime #EducationLeadership
"I really appreciate the collaborative atmosphere at Cornwell Avenue School. Additionally, I love the strong sense of school community where everyone works together to support every student's success."
Join the RamFam! 🐏 #WHe are hiring Teaching Assistants & Aides. Help shape young minds and support our students. Competitive pay and great team environment. Apply today! #WHewantyourtalent #NowHiring #EducationJobs #WHeRiseTogether
📚 Parent-Teacher Conferences are here!
Join us on November 3 (5:30-9:00 PM) & Nov 4 (8:30 AM-2:30 PM) to discuss your child's progress, set goals & plan for success. Your involvement matters!
#ParentTeacherConferences #WHeRiseTogether #TeamRams 🐏
🌟 West Hempstead Community Wellness Day!
📅 Sunday, Nov 16, 12-3 PM
📍 WH Secondary School
Sports training, boxing, Pilates, health screenings & more! All ages welcome.
#CommunityWellness #WHeRiseTogether #HealthyLiving
📅 Sunday, Nov 16, 12-3 PM
📍 WH Secondary School
Sports training, boxing, Pilates, health screenings & more! All ages welcome.
#CommunityWellness #WHeRiseTogether #HealthyLiving
Looking for educators! West Hempstead UFSD is hiring for our RamPathways after-school program (Jan 5-Feb 5, 2026):
📚 ELA & Math instructors (grades 7-12)
🎨 Youth Development instructors
👥 Site Coordinator
$105-110/diem | Apply by Nov 18 at www.olasjobs.org
#WHeRiseTogether
📚 ELA & Math instructors (grades 7-12)
🎨 Youth Development instructors
👥 Site Coordinator
$105-110/diem | Apply by Nov 18 at www.olasjobs.org
#WHeRiseTogether
📚 Parent-Teacher Conferences are here!
Join us on November 3 (5:30-9:00 PM) & Nov 4 (8:30 AM-2:30 PM) to discuss your child's progress, set goals & plan for success. Your involvement matters!
#ParentTeacherConferences #WHeRiseTogether #TeamRams 🐏
